Electric train-wire coupling.



T. R. BROWN.

ELECTRIC TRAIN WIRE COUPLING.

Patented July 11,1916.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. H, 1914.

THOMAS R. BROWN, OF SPARKILL, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTINGHOUSE AIRBRAKE COMPANY, OF WILMERIOING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN-SYLVANIA.

ioonoo.

ELECTRIC TRAIN-WIRE COUPLING.

Patented July II, IWLW.

Application filed March 11, 1914. Serial No. 823,969.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS R. BROWN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sparkill, in the county of Rockland and State of New York,have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Train- WireCouplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to coupling devices for connecting the electrictrain line circuits between the cars or other vehicles ofa train.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an electricallycontrolled coupling of the above type.

In the accompanying drawing; Figure 1 is a, vertical section of a pairof electric train wire couplers embodying my invention and shown incoupled position; Fig. 2 a vertical section of a train wire coupling inthe normal uncoupled position; Fig. 3 a transverse section of thecoupling on the line w-b of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 a sectional view of acoupler lock and a fluid pressure release device applied thereto.

As shown invthe drawing, the coupling may comprise a casing adapted tobe car ried by the car coupler or adapted to be operated as a separatedevice when provided with suitable means for bringing the ends intoproper alinement for coupling, but as this forms no part of my presentinvention, it is not deemed necessary to illustrate such means in thedrawing.

The coupling casing may consist of a casting 1, preferably of brass, acast iron shell 2 containing an electro-magnet coil 3, a cast iron polepiece 4 interposed between the casting 1 and the shell 2, and a brasstail piece 5, the above parts being securely clamped together by meansof longitudinal brass bolts 6, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of thedrawing. A sliding contact carrier 7 of insulating material is mountedwithin the coupler casing and is provided with a plurality of pairs ofcontact bars 8 audit) arranged horizontally, either on one side or onopposite sides of the carrier, each pair of contacts 8 and 9 beingelectrically connected together by a suitable wire embedded in theinsulating material. Mounted within a recess of the casting 1 are aplurality of spring pressed contact fingers 10 adapted to engage thecontacts 8 and 9 and each finger is connected to a corresponding trainwire leading out of the coupling through cable 11.

The contact carrier 7 is secured to a soft steel core 12 mounted withinthe electro-inagnet coil 3 and adapted to. slide longitudinally in achamber in the tail piece 5. The pole plece 4 has a flange section 13surrounding the carrier 7 and extending inwardly toward the end of thecore 12, so that the magnetic lines of force will act in the directionof movement of the core. The'inner end of the flange section 13 ispreferably covered with a facing 14 of leather or brass to preventmagnetic sticking of the core to the pole piece and to serve as acushion. The core 12 is provided with a recess 15 within which a looselyfitting plunger 16 is mounted and a spring 17 is interposed between saldplunger and the rear end of the tail piece 5. The spring 17 may benormally held under initial tension by means of connected links 18, oneof which is secured to the plunger 16 and the other to an eye member 19screwed into the end of the tail piece 5.

The tail piece 5 is preferably provided with a thin flange 20 adapted tofill the gap between the end walls of the shell 2 and the core' 12, soas to prevent sticking between the shell and the core.

The electro-magnet coil 3 has its terminals connected to leads 21 and 22leading out through cable 11 and having :a suitable source of current 23connected in the lead 21. For "controlling the circuit of theelectro-magnet coil, a manually operated switch is provided at aconvenient point for manipulation, the switch being representeddiagrammatically in the drawing by the key 24:.

In order to economize current, the coupling is designed to use currentonly for projecting the contact carrier in making the electricalconnections between the cars, and for the purpose of holding the carrierin its coupled position, a locking device is provided. The lockingdevice shown in'the drawings is arranged to be controlled by fluid underpressure, although it will be understood that the same may be otherwisecontrolled if desired. Said locking device may comprise a piston 25mounted in a piston chamber 26 and carrying a locking stem 27 adapted toengage the rear end of the core 12 when the contact carrier is in itsouter position and thereby prevent retractive movement thereof.

A spring 28 acts on one side of the piston 25 in a direction to move theparts to locking position and the piston is open on the opposite side toa passage 29, leading to a pipe 30 through which, by manipulation of asuitable cock, fluid may be supplied to said passage. The piston 25-mayalso control a port 31 leading to a pipe 32 which may communicate withthe controlling piston 39 of the locking lever 40 of a car coupler, suchas shown, for example, in pending application, Serial No. 756,469, filedMarch 24, 1913. The passage 29 leads to a chamber 33 containing amovable abutment 34 having a projecting stem 35 through which a hole 36extends. Said abutment is subject to the pressure of a spring 37 tendingto hold the abutment in its outer position and the adjacent faces of thestems 35 on counterpart couplings are adapted to engage when cars arecoupled together and thus form a connected passage way from one couplingto the other.

In operation, when adjacent cars are brought to the coupled position,the faces of the electric coupling heads engage, as shown in Fig. l ofthe drawing, the contact carrier 7 being then in the normal position, asshown in Fig. 2. In order to efliect the electric connection of. thetrain line circuits, either one of the switches 24 may be closed. If,for example, the left hand switch be closed, the

. electro-magnet coil 3 of the left hand coupling is energized and thecore 12 is drawn outwardly, thereby projecting the contact carrierattached thereto 'into the counterpart coupling. The movement of thecontact carrier forces the contact carrier of the adjacent carrearwardly to the position shown in Fig, 1, compressing the spring 17,and the respective pairs of contacts 8 and 9 are brought into engagementwith the contact fingers 1010 in the opposing coupling heads, thuscompleting the corresponding train line circuits. The movement of thecore 12 to its outer position permits the locking stem to move intolocking position behind the core 12 through the action of the spring 28acting on piston 25, so that when the circuit of the electro-magnet coilis opened by the operator removing his hand fromthe key, the contactcarrier will be held in coupled-position by the lock.

If it is desired to uncouple, fluid under pressure is supplied to. pipe30 on either car and since the passages 29 on adjacent cars areconnected together, the piston 25 which happens to be in the locking.position will be re tracted ,by the action of the fluid pressureagainst the spring 28 and this permits the spring 17 acting on the core12 of the other coupling to move the corresponding contact 4 carrier andalso the contact carrier of the adjacent coupling back tothe normalposition,

.I claim as new and desire If, as shown in the drawing, the electriccoupling is provided with the fluid connection to the car couplerrelease piston, such as shown in'Fig. 4, the movement of the pistons 25to the outer position, when fluid is supplied to the passage 29, willoperate to uncover the ports 31 so that fluid under pressure is suppliedto the pipe 32 and the release piston of the car coupler, which isthereby operated to shift the coupler locking lever to release position.

The port 31 is so positioned that the same does not open until after thestem 27 has moved to permit the contact carrier to return 'to normalposition, so that the car couplers will not be released for uncouplinguntil the contact carriers have been retracted. This is particularlydesirable in the case of that type of car coupler in which there is alateral as well as a longitudinal movement of the parts in the. act ofuncoupling, since the lateral movement in uncoupling, with the contactcarrier still in engagement with the counterpart coupling, might causeinjury to the carrier.

While the pressure of the contact fingers 10 against the cont-act barsof the contact carrier should be sufficient to prevent movement of thecarrier from normal position, additional means may be provided forholding'the contact carrier in this position, such as by providing ashallow cavity 38 in the core 12 positioned to be engaged by the roundedend of the stem 27 in the normal position of the parts, as shown in Fig.2 of the drawing.

By means of the above arrangement the pressure of the spring 28 operatesto yieldin'gly hold the locking stem 27 in the cavity 38 and therebyassist in preventing undesired movement of the cont-act carrier.

Having now described my invention, what to secure by Letters .Patent, is

1. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a couplinghead containing a plurality of fixed contacts adapted to be connected totrain line circuits and a movable carrier provided with contacts, ofelectrically -controlled means for projecting said carrier toelectrically connect the corresponding fixed contacts of counterpartcoupling heads through the contacts of the movable carrier.

2. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a couplinghead containing a plurality of fixed contacts adapted to be connected totrain line circuits and a movable carrier provided with correspondingcontact bars, of an electric solenoid for projecting said carrier toelectrically connect the corresponding fixed contacts of counterpartcoupling heads through the contact bars of the movable carrier.

3. In an electric train line coupling, the

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1,190,5Q9 in;

combination with a coupling head containing a plurality of fixedcontacts adapted to be connected to train line circuits and a movablecarrier provided with corresponding contact bars, of an electricsolenoid for projecting said carrier to electrically connect thecorresponding fixed contacts of counterpart coupling heads through thecontact bars of the movable carrier and means for returning the carrierto normal position.

4. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a couplinghead containing a plurality of fixed contacts adapted to be connected totrain line circuits and a movable carrier provided with correspondingcontact bars, of an electric solenoid for pro-.

jecting said carrier to electrically connect the corresponding fixedcontacts of counterpart coupling heads through the contact bars of themovable carrier and a spring 'for returning the carrier to normalposition.

5. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a couplinghead containing a.plurality of fixed contacts adapted to be connected totrain line circuits and a movable carrier provided with correspondingcontact bars, of an electric solenoid for projecting said carrier toelectrically connect the corresponding fixed contacts of counterpartcoupling heads and to push back the carrier in the adjacent couplinghead.

6. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a couplinghead containing a plurality of fixed contacts adapted to be connected totrain line circuits and a movable carrier provided with correspondingcontact bars, of an electric solenoid for projecting said carrier toelectrically connect the corresponding fixedcontacts of counterpartcoupling heads and to push back the carrier in the adjacent couplinghead and a spring for Opposing the backward movement of the lattercarrier.

7. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a casingcontaining a plurality of fixed contacts and a movable carrier havingcorresponding contact bars, of electrically controlled means forprojecting said carrier to electrically connect the corresponding fixedcontacts of counterpart couplings, and a spring opposing such movemen 8.In an electric train line coupling, the

combination with a casing containing a plu-' rality of fixed contactsand a movable carrier having corresponding contact bars, of a spring forthe carrier and electrically controlled means for projecting saidcarrier to electrically connect thecorresponding fixed contacts ofcounterpart couplings,

contacts of counterpart couplings and for pushing the opposing carrieragainst the resistance of the corresponding spring, the resistance ofsaid spring tending .to return both carriers to normal position.

10. The combination with a coupler head, a movable lock and a fluidpressure device for releasing said lock, of an electric train linecoupling comprising electric contacts adapted to be connected to thetrain line circuits, a movable contact carrier having contacts, meansfor projecting said carrier to electrically connect correspondingcontacts of counterpartcouplings, a piston having a stem for locking thecontact carrier in its projected position and operated by fluid pressurefor releasing the carrier and for opening communication for supplyingfluid to release the coupler lock.

11. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a pluralityof fixed contacts connected to train line circuits, a movable carrierhaving corresponding contacts, and means for pro ecting said carrier toconnect the corresponding fixed contacts of counterpart coupling heads,of a locking device for yieldingly holding said carrier in normalrelease position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS E. BROWN. Witnesses:

A. M. CLn1\rnNTs,' S. W. Emma.

